This was so cute and I'm so mad it took me so long to finish!

Their first meeting was cute and felt authentic and I loved how they easily slipped into friendship and then their relationship. I really enjoyed the disability representation and the reminder that individuals with disabilities can 1. lead their life however they see fit and 2. truly don't need someone's assistance or opinion unless asked. Gabby really got Neesha and never made her feel like a girl with a disability but saw her as just herself.

I also loved the family meetup during Christmas and Neesha and her mom's negging relationship. This was such a gem!

Navigating With You was such a sweet and charming read, following two girls who bond over their shared love for a manga series, Navigator Nozomi, and set out on a journey to track down the remaining volumes so they can experience the full story together. It’s a simple slice of life concept, but it’s executed with heart in a way that any reader who has experienced teen love and building connections over shared emotional interests will immediately connect with.

The story is quick and relatable, something I can only imagine a vast number of book and manga lovers will immediately see themselves in. I loved the care incorporated into the illustrations and how the story followed both the two girls, but also brought us into the imagined world of their favorite series as well. Navigator Nozomi, for me, called to mind my own adoration for the Sailor Moon series that I experienced as a young reader. There’s a soft vibrancy to the art that fits the tone perfectly and adds so much to the emotional beats of the story. While this might be a light and fast read, I can absolutely see it being a deeply meaningful one, especially for readers who see themselves reflected in the characters’ nostalgic and romantic journeys.

I fell in love with this series and quickly devoured all of it on Libby! The dynamic between the two is sweet, and I think it’s an excellent model to encourage young adults to take their time in physical and romantic relationships—the right partner will wait, and the right partner will also help you blossom and support your passions.

thank you netgalley for giving me an ARC of this graphic novel

I loved the art style and the color palette used a lot, and I found the manga excerpts really cool.

I'm looking forward to reading more from this author <3

A powerful story of young love and navigating trauma.

Navigating With You follows new students Gabby and Neesha as they adapt to their new high school together. Their friendship blossoms through their shared love of a sci-fi manga series, a story about two women in space falling for each other against all odds. Gabby struggles with PTSD after a car accident took her mother, while Neesha lives with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, a disability which previous relationship partners have used to mistreat her. Over the course of their new friendship and eventual romance, Gabby and Neesha learn to respect each other's feelings, embrace their differences, and strive to treat each other with love and patience despite the hardships they face. The characterization is honest and heartfelt. Gabby and Neesha are thoughtful and nuanced characters, and the story reaches great heights when exploring their feelings of hurt from racism and ableism. Filled with hope without shying away from the more brutal experiences of trauma, Navigating With You is a fantastic read for all.

Thank you NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this ARC.

2025 Stonewall Book Award Honor Book

I love this adorable sweet precious book and these adorable sweet precious girls! And their families! It’s so wonderful. Okay, the disability rep is wonderful, and I love the way these girls treat each other. Gabby doesn’t assume anything about Neeks, and she treats her like a normal person. She doesn’t baby her, but she’s there when she needs her. And Neeks is there for Gabby too, through her dealing with her horrible boyfriend and through her trauma and PTSD episode. And they respect each other’s boundaries and wait to move forward with their relationship until they are both ready. It’s really wonderful. And I love the manga angle too, and especially their interaction with the manga artist at the convention. It’s really just a beautiful book all around.

"how dare you be nice to me and make me feel things"

this was a cute story with some great lessons along the way, the story felt like it was stumbling in some parts, but all the representation and realistically complicated relationships while still keeping this fairly low stakes and more on the sweet side was handled really well. I also love that this was 2 stories in 1 with the addition of the manga series in black and white throughout

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

I think this graphic novel is SO good. I felt the story was paced well and gave some real “what ifs” that could happen in real life. I loved that it included the manga they were reading in the book throughout the novel too! I think all the representation was great - disability, Latinx, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and mental health. I also appreciate the list of resources at the end if people are in need of someone to talk to.

I'm not sure I really vibed with this book. I liked some aspects of it. I was into the quest of hunting for the out of print books. Ultimately though I found the plot fairly predictable and the characters not compelling enough to keep me engaged.

I don't have too much to say about this graphic novel other than that it is adorable! Not only is it queer but it has a lead disabled character. I read this in just two settings.
This is told by two lead characters who are young, learning about themselves, and finding out who they are while falling in love. There is a story within the story, the characters are reading a book series together. We get to see them find the books in the series and the ending will warm your bookish heart. I also liked the art style and felt that it fit the story. This book does have a few darker and heavier topics in it but I felt that it was handled well. This was a well done queer graphic novel I would recommend to people who enjoy those things.

So touching and emotional! It took me a while to get into the story within the story (I totally get the point of it and appreciated the parallels, but the stark B&W was a little hard visually), but I loved the MCs and their families, as well as their overall journey.

The development of his friendship was absolutely adorable and I love how media can create a strong common ground between people from different walks of life.

Very charming wlw graphic novel that made me so emotional I couldn't focus on anything else. Great POC reps too.

What a cute and wholesome graphic novel. While the cover will attract romance fans, the content will have wider appeal. Great disability rep on both sides and a sweet romance, and the meta manga story was a nice touch! Also, the parents were fantastic.

Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley is a heartwarming and inspiring graphic novel that beautifully blends adventure, friendship, and personal growth. With relatable characters, captivating artwork, and a focus on overcoming challenges, Whitley delivers a story that’s both uplifting and empowering. A perfect read for those who enjoy stories of resilience and meaningful connections.

I think I just read one of the best book ever. This book was everything I love in books!!! Inclusivity, wlw, social issues, mental health.

I just loved the characters (except you Josh. If I find you Josh….) and most of all, their beautiful and healthy relationships. I particularly LOVED how CP was included in the story.

Tbh, I don’t know if I want to be them or be with them!!!

Reading the book made me giggle, smile, kick my feet, cry, think and so much more.

I loved EVERYTHING in this book. There is not one thing I didn’t like. It was just perfect!

This was a lovely graphic novel. I loved the art and the diverse set of characters (lesbian, bisexual, POC, disabilities) And the fact that these to fell into friendship and love while navigating life in general and grief and mental health in particular.

Tbh, though, I didn’t really read the manga pages after the first one. I guess they had a purpose, but I mostly thought they took up space that could have been left out. I do think this story would be awesome for a teenager figuring out their place or just wanting to read a sweet story about everyday life with a dash of love.

/ Denise

Navigating with you is such a sweet book!! I love it so much!!!!! A thousand million billion stars!!

Two teen girls are navigating a new space as they both recently moved from their hometowns. They discover they both loved a manga series that is hard to find, and decide to challenge each other to find the books and start a book club. There's a diverse cast and it is a story about figuring out they love each other, but this just became painful to read. I actually disliked the interspersed sections from the manga even though it helped the characters figure out their feelings and confidence. This is a good book for teens who are struggling with new relationships and helping determine what is healthy and what isn't, but it doesn't work well for other age groups.